A WOMAN last night told how she watched helplessly as two men died when their cars burst into flames after a head-on smash.

The cars turned into fireballs in front of her, one after the other, in the accident on Wednesday night.

Both men were declared dead at the scene on the A5104 between Rhydtalog and Llandegla.

Police named them yesterday as 25-year-old James Phillip Wantling, of Coedpoeth, near Wrexham and Andrew Mark Tilston, 36, of Pipers Lane, Heswall, Wirral, who was driving a white Volvo.

Mr Wantling, who was driving a blue Subaru, lived with his partner and toddler daughter.

Witness Sue Jones, 42, was still in a state of shock yesterday. She was on her way from dance classes in Mold to her home in Bryn Eglwys, when she was overtaken by a Volvo shortly after the traffic lights at Rhydtalog.

"He got to the top of the hill and had just gone around a right-hand bend. When I got to the top I saw him. He was in the middle of the road and he was just landing back on his wheels.

"I braked hard and skidded to avoid the Volvo and at that stage I had not even seen the Subaru. I didn't see any impact."

Sue, a newspaper advertising saleswoman, got out of her car and telephoned for the ambulance service on her mobile.

"There were no lights up there and I did not notice the Subaru, but then it just sparked and it went up in flames."

Sue noticed petrol coming out of the Volvo was heading towards her car. She jumped in to reverse it out of the way when the Volvo too ignited and went up in flames. "There was nothing I could do. I couldn't get to the cars before they went on fire," she added.

An ambulance controller kept talking to Sue throughout the whole incident, while Sue tried to alert any oncoming traffic. Within a few minutes a taxi driver stopped and approached the burning cars. He shouted in case anyone had managed to get out and was crawling about in the dark.

When it was obvious nothing more could be done, he left and police are still anxious he comes forward to help them with their inquiries.

"I don't remember seeing him go because I think I was moving into shock. I think he left after the first paramedic arrived," said Sue..

"I'm just numb. I cannot shut my eyes, I just keep seeing it."

Four ambulances arrived on the scene, along with two fire appliances and police.

Stewart Dodd, joint licensee of the Liver Inn, Rhydtalog, said: "The first we knew about the crash was when we saw the emergency services rushing to the scene, which is about a mile from the pub.

"This is a well-known accident blackspot where several drivers and motorcyclists have been killed over the years.

"I think extra road safety measures would be appropriate, possibly more warning signs and roadside barriers on the bends".

Flintshire county councillor Hilary Isher-wood, of Pontybodkin, said: "I will be pressing Flintshire County Council's road safety unit to look at this stretch of road.

"A number of people have lost their lives in the area and obviously something will have to be done to prevent further tragedies.

"The present road safety measures are obviously not working. With heavy traffic about to descend on the area as the summer holiday season approaches, something needs to be done quickly."

The road - a well-used holiday route into North Wales - was closed after the crash and was not expected to reopen until today.

The surface and grass verge at the scene were badly scorched by the burning vehicles. . Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 0845 607 1001.